Poll

Athletic Social Groups

In which group setting do you wish you could participate, feel more integrated, but you either feel unwelcome, or you're not ready to step out, or you can't find a group proximate to you? Or, are you entirely sorted?

It was really bad, especially the swim. The swells just kept coming and you would find yourself underwater instead of taking a stroke. Sighting was impossible unless you waited for the top of a wave. I was having fun at the absurdity of it and waves don't bother me, but I felt so bad for all the first timers I knew they must be pulling out of the lake. The bike was all head and cross wind up to Veyo and it was no joke. People were getting blown all over the road. -Of course it's 'effing hard, it's IRONMAN! Team ZOOT ZOOT, GARMIN, Ceepo, Smith Optics, Boom Nutrition, SpeedFil, FuelBelt, SCYS, L3 Endurance Coaching

Hardest IM I've ever done by far. Chop was at least 4' with spray blowing horizontal off the crests. A miracle nobody drowned. Hats off to water safety. I body surfed into the swim exit. Bike was 80 miles of howling headwinds and 30 miles of bombing tailwind descents. Run course was nice. It had a good rhythm of slight ascents and descents.

I would say so ... Chuck Sloan takes the overall age group race and wins the 35-39 and his wife wins the 35-39 .... just for starters! ------------------------- Dave Latourette http://www.traintoendure.com

x3. Almost confirmed jackmott's catch phrase that a disc is always faster until you get blown off the road! Loved it on the downhill section with the tailwind though where I hit 88+km/h! Swim and bike were nutz today...run would have been fine but was also tough after the exertion required in the prior 2 events. Volunteers and overall support for the race was amazing. Sad to see the race go but it would be a tough sell to any first-timers after these first 3 years...and they made up almost 500 of the 1800 entries this year!

Anyone else have an elevation gain for the course? My Garmin edge 500 said ~2000m (6500+ feet) but the IMSG website said ~4900 feet. I only ask because my edge 500 usually seems pretty accurate. Any info is appreciated.

I did this race today, and agree that the distance is tough enough that these kind of conditions just make it brutal. The swim was an outright disaster and if we were on the shore when the winds hit, it would have been a TT start. There was no reason for people to be swimming in those conditions (this from someone who has swam in most of the worlds oceans and in some pretty swims). I always knew this place would be carnage if the winds came out of the north as it would funnel down the canyon and turn to the two loops into a grueling affair. On my second loop, I passed some people who were walking the final hill and I couldn't blame them. This was a horrendous day, and I am sure WTC will rest easy with the decision to cancel the event. Holding a race here is a big mistake, IMO. "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.comSponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack

It was more than chaos, it was carnage and some people came out with times that suggest that they found a short route through it all, while other's found routes that were the set distance if not farther. Overall, it's a lovely place, but I won't be back for the 70.3 (never planned on it prior today). "Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Elliot | Cycle2Tri.comSponsors: SciCon | | Every Man Jack

It was more than chaos, it was carnage and some people came out with times that suggest that they found a short route through it all, while other's found routes that were the set distance if not farther. Overall, it's a lovely place, but I won't be back for the 70.3 (never planned on it prior today).

I agree, when I could see, there were several people cutting near that big rock, but then many of the buoys were blown all over

I have to agree that people cut the course but likely unknowingly many of the buoys were blown off their moorings. I.d call 3-4 swell with white caps and blowing spray. I'm afairly strong swimmer and I thought it was even a little scary out there.

Yeah, people definitely cut the swim, as I was coming in I saw people cutting the Island you have to swim around cutting around 500 yards. Was an epic day for sure crazy swim and the bike was insane with winds gusting over 40. I'm not sure Ironman did any favors for those people who missed the swim cutoff. When I was starting the second loop of the bike and there were people just starting their first and hadn't even got to the hard part I thought to myself they should just turn around and ride back to town. Though I think Ironman must have let people cont. if they missed the bike cutoff.

I agree it was chaos. I saw a kayaker turtle near me as I swam the back stretch. I was thinking geez the rescuers are going to need rescuing!

The last red turn buoy seemed have moved/be moving as it was actually down wind and closer to shore than the final orange buoy. I went around the orange buoy and then tredded water for a while discussing with the swimmers around me if that was indeed the final turn marker. There were no guides/kayaks to be seen but one boat in the distance seemed to be pointing us to turn and head for shore at that point so that is what we did (effectively rounding the red buoy that was down just wind of us).

I am happy it was not a duathlon though given that it sounds like nothing serious happened to anyone.

I just won the AG. I can't believe. The conditions were the worst I have ever raced in by a long shot. White caps and 3 foot swells on the res. they said if the race had started 20min later they would have canceled the swim. The bike was 30-40mph gust that just ripped the field apart. I never let it get to me and started the run feeling ok...and then not so ok. First was 20min ahead of me off the bike but by lap 2 I had narrowed that to 5min. I caught him at mile 22 and ran scared as my ZOOT teammate Jim Atkinson was coming on strong. But I held on. The slowest Ironman I have ever done...and the most satisfying by far. I did it, I can't believ I did it.

Sounds like it was utterly mental out there in the swim. My wife swam a 1:35, which is about half an hour slower than normal.

I was very relieved to see her appear on the tracker after the swim finish.

And very happy this morning to wake up and see she had come through for the 30-35 AG win. It was some tough racing out there - conditions were obviously difficult and and then top 3 were very close time wise all the way through the run.

Sounds like it was utterly mental out there in the swim. My wife swam a 1:35, which is about half an hour slower than normal.

I was very relieved to see her appear on the tracker after the swim finish.

And very happy this morning to wake up and see she had come through for the 30-35 AG win. It was some tough racing out there - conditions were obviously difficult and and then top 3 were very close time wise all the way through the run.

Interesting how the conditions sounded a bit like a replay of IMSA. Light winds at the very beginning of the swim with a huge increase by the middle and then windy for the rest of the day. Bet you can relate to that. I know my wife and I can. The darn wind flags started flapping just the same way at both events.